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ACK Review:
In our opinion the Tarpon 160i is the fastest SOT kayak on the market and the amazing thing is that it is still extremely stable and dry. If you want to cover a lot of ground and have the convenience of a SOT there isn't a better kayak out there.

Customer Rating: 4.6 of 5

Customer Reviews

Reviewer:

RB

Rating:

4

Date:

5/25/2014

Review:

Tried out my new Tarpon 160
for the first time today. There
was a good breeze and I first
paddled without the rudder. I
was pleasantly surprised at
how well it tracked and my first
thought was that I wish I had
not spent the extra money.
Then I put the rudder down,
and WOW, what a pleasure!
I'd never paddled with a
rudder before and I am really
glad now that I added it to the
order.

Reviewer:

JMW

Rating:

5

Date:

12/10/2012

Review:

Bought a leftover 2012. She
rocks. Fast as a sit-in and
enough storage for the long
days. I also purchased Scotty
438 Gear Heads for my
forward Slide Tracks. Well
worth it. And as always ACK is
the BEST

Reviewer:

dgbingham

Rating:

3

Date:

9/30/2012

Review:

I bought this based on the
overall glowing reviews.
Compared to the Prism that I
have used for the last 20
years, this kayak is
marginally faster and is
better laid out to be rigged
for fishing but it is
exceptionally hard to turn and
the rudder has virtually no
effect. It also leaks like a
sieve. In 20 years my Prism
has not had a drop of water
inside it but in the first
rain this thing has a lot of
water in it plus the seat is
terrible. By that I mean I got
a backache in the first 10
minutes of sitting in it.
Overall I rate it so-so.

Reviewer:

BigFish

Rating:

5

Date:

8/22/2012

Review:

Okay I think it is only fair that I put a review on here
for both the WS Tarpon 160 and ACK.
First the WS Tarpon 160: Great Boat. Took this boat out
in the Calibogue Sound in Hilton Head Island as a first
launch of the boat.
The PROS are that this boat is stable. You can sit on
the side and fish, you can turn around in to recover gear
from the milk crate that will fit in the back. The 160
is my first SOT so I have nothing to compare in speed,
but it was very easy to paddle. The rudder takes it from
great to a Dream. The 160 is not effected by winds and
waves and it travels over wake from large boats without
fearing of falling in. Caught some pretty large spanish
and a couple sharks and the only advice I can give, is
never NEVER throw your catch in the front hatch. Still
trying to remove the smell.
Now the CONS: Only a couple of issues, when caught in a
bad current rip you are going to work to get through it.
Last... this thing is heavy. Sure I can manage it on my
own, but its a struggle. With a 200 beach walk to get
the boat to the water and to throw the boat up on an SUV,
is tough.
OVERALL: Buy it! I would buy it all over again ACK.
Now an ACK Review: These people will take care of you.
The kayak arrived in so much cardboard and bubble wrap
that I still havent found my kids I lost in the
packaging. I was really worried about how it would be
delivered - perfect, is the only word I can use. ACK
will treat you right and if not they will make it right.
The only suggestion I have to ACK and maybe to aquire
additional business after the sale is to make the
discount for accessories for purchasing a kayak available
for a 12 month period. Spending $1300 on a kayak and
then possible buying a bunch of other items only makes
the wife even more upset. Also, I figured out some
additional items I need after Ive been in the boat for a
week or two. Just saying!
Take it for what another review is worth, but my two
cents would be:
#1 - The WS Tarpon 160 is a great kayak and/or platform
to fish for big fish from anytime,anywhere.
#2 - I was seriously impressed with ACK and will return
for a WS RIDE 135 next year just dont tell the wife
Thank you,
Paul
Norton, OH

Reviewer:

bigkevkayaker

Rating:

5

Date:

8/17/2012

Review:

Awesome boat. Purchased after
some low life stole my older
Tarpon 160 off my car at
HOME!!! Very comfortable boat
System 3 seat is great, not as
sleak as older Tarpon but
still is able to move along
well. Handles wave with ease.
Best of all was service and
fast shipping by Austin Kayak.
In a time of despair I had a
new boat delivered free in
less than a week. ACK will be
seeing my business for years
to come

Reviewer:

goranz

Rating:

5

Date:

8/12/2012

Review:

I am very happy with my new
Tarpon 160. I have been
waiting for
seven years to buy the right
boat at the right price. After
paddling
an Ocean Kayak Trident 15 I
decided to go with the Tarpon
and am
very pleased with my decision.
The rod pod didnt do much for
me
but made the cockpit feel
smaller and I only fly fish so
90% of my
kayak fishing is the trip from
point A to B. Tidal rivers,
Tidal flats
of New England, river mouths
of the Great Lakes, Adirondack
lakes
and rivers... for now. I felt
comfortable in the kayak right
away
even in 2-3 foot swells on
Lake Erie. I am going to add
side
stabilizers for safety if I
decide to fish in open water.
Plenty of
storage, dry ride I am 61 and
180 pounds. Side track
mounting
is a great addition and makes
adding accessories easy. I
think I will
have a lot of fun in the
future. On delivery note from
ACK - the
kayak came packaged very well,
shipped fast without a
scratch.
Thank you.

Reviewer:

James

Rating:

4

Date:

7/21/2011

Review:

Love the kayak...the only
negative would be the camo
color is not really
camo...mostly green and has
odd splotches of color mixed
in...I am not dissatisfied
though....

Reviewer:

Shawn

Rating:

5

Date:

9/21/2010

Review:

Great kayak, I have a 12' Manta Ray as well but this one works great around the Chesapeake Bay where I live. i would recommend this kayak to everyone who lives near open water, had it 2 weeks ago in 2' swells and it handle great.

Reviewer:

ChefJeff

Rating:

5

Date:

7/15/2010

Review:

Awesome Yak. Even faster than my outback is with
paddles.

Reviewer:

Magilla Gorilla

Rating:

4

Date:

6/28/2010

Review:

Love the speed of this kayak. Stable and dry and comfortable. Delivery from ACK was quick and kayak was package and protected well.

Reviewer:

freedive

Rating:

5

Date:

6/13/2010

Review:

I bought this kayak to freedive and spearfish off of at least 3 miles off the beach in the Gulf. It delivers in every way. Stable, easy to paddle and control, well layed out, water tight. Not the lightest when it comes to loading, but with a little preplanning and patience, it can be racked and launched by one person. The rudder is a must for windy days and a swell. Both are usually going perpendicular to you. The seat has enough adjustments that make it a custom fit. Not a swift turner which you will find out when on a narrow winding river. Lash down gear with supplied tiedowns when storing ANYTHING below deck, or they will all end up in the stern. A kayak well worth the investment, from a dealer well worth the visit.

Reviewer:

Laura

Rating:

5

Date:

4/9/2009

Review:

I bought my new 2009 Tarpon in March. We took it on a trip to Lake Powell with an older Tarpon 160. I was very impressed with the new hull shape, and the amount of cargo room inside the hull. This boat just looks gorgeous on the water. The size of the tankwell has about doubled from the older version, and I love it. I am also impressed with the slide trax system. I bought the clips and extra bungee and rigged up a really versatile system over the tankwell. The phase 3 seat was really comfortable. I paddled for 5 hours without any complaint. In order to have the larger tankwell, WS moved the rear hatch in front of the seat. This makes it difficult to store things under the tankwell (although next time I will be tying rope on all my drybags for easier recovery). Overall I am extremely happy with my new yak. I got the mango coloring, and it is beautiful. I am also very happy with Austin, very fast and easy delivery.

Customer Reviews

Reviewer:

RB

Rating:

4

Date:

5/25/2014

Review:

Tried out my new Tarpon 160
for the first time today. There
was a good breeze and I first
paddled without the rudder. I
was pleasantly surprised at
how well it tracked and my first
thought was that I wish I had
not spent the extra money.
Then I put the rudder down,
and WOW, what a pleasure!
I'd never paddled with a
rudder before and I am really
glad now that I added it to the
order.

Reviewer:

JMW

Rating:

5

Date:

12/10/2012

Review:

Bought a leftover 2012. She
rocks. Fast as a sit-in and
enough storage for the long
days. I also purchased Scotty
438 Gear Heads for my
forward Slide Tracks. Well
worth it. And as always ACK is
the BEST

Reviewer:

dgbingham

Rating:

3

Date:

9/30/2012

Review:

I bought this based on the
overall glowing reviews.
Compared to the Prism that I
have used for the last 20
years, this kayak is
marginally faster and is
better laid out to be rigged
for fishing but it is
exceptionally hard to turn and
the rudder has virtually no
effect. It also leaks like a
sieve. In 20 years my Prism
has not had a drop of water
inside it but in the first
rain this thing has a lot of
water in it plus the seat is
terrible. By that I mean I got
a backache in the first 10
minutes of sitting in it.
Overall I rate it so-so.

Reviewer:

BigFish

Rating:

5

Date:

8/22/2012

Review:

Okay I think it is only fair that I put a review on here
for both the WS Tarpon 160 and ACK.
First the WS Tarpon 160: Great Boat. Took this boat out
in the Calibogue Sound in Hilton Head Island as a first
launch of the boat.
The PROS are that this boat is stable. You can sit on
the side and fish, you can turn around in to recover gear
from the milk crate that will fit in the back. The 160
is my first SOT so I have nothing to compare in speed,
but it was very easy to paddle. The rudder takes it from
great to a Dream. The 160 is not effected by winds and
waves and it travels over wake from large boats without
fearing of falling in. Caught some pretty large spanish
and a couple sharks and the only advice I can give, is
never NEVER throw your catch in the front hatch. Still
trying to remove the smell.
Now the CONS: Only a couple of issues, when caught in a
bad current rip you are going to work to get through it.
Last... this thing is heavy. Sure I can manage it on my
own, but its a struggle. With a 200 beach walk to get
the boat to the water and to throw the boat up on an SUV,
is tough.
OVERALL: Buy it! I would buy it all over again ACK.
Now an ACK Review: These people will take care of you.
The kayak arrived in so much cardboard and bubble wrap
that I still havent found my kids I lost in the
packaging. I was really worried about how it would be
delivered - perfect, is the only word I can use. ACK
will treat you right and if not they will make it right.
The only suggestion I have to ACK and maybe to aquire
additional business after the sale is to make the
discount for accessories for purchasing a kayak available
for a 12 month period. Spending $1300 on a kayak and
then possible buying a bunch of other items only makes
the wife even more upset. Also, I figured out some
additional items I need after Ive been in the boat for a
week or two. Just saying!
Take it for what another review is worth, but my two
cents would be:
#1 - The WS Tarpon 160 is a great kayak and/or platform
to fish for big fish from anytime,anywhere.
#2 - I was seriously impressed with ACK and will return
for a WS RIDE 135 next year just dont tell the wife
Thank you,
Paul
Norton, OH

Reviewer:

bigkevkayaker

Rating:

5

Date:

8/17/2012

Review:

Awesome boat. Purchased after
some low life stole my older
Tarpon 160 off my car at
HOME!!! Very comfortable boat
System 3 seat is great, not as
sleak as older Tarpon but
still is able to move along
well. Handles wave with ease.
Best of all was service and
fast shipping by Austin Kayak.
In a time of despair I had a
new boat delivered free in
less than a week. ACK will be
seeing my business for years
to come

Reviewer:

goranz

Rating:

5

Date:

8/12/2012

Review:

I am very happy with my new
Tarpon 160. I have been
waiting for
seven years to buy the right
boat at the right price. After
paddling
an Ocean Kayak Trident 15 I
decided to go with the Tarpon
and am
very pleased with my decision.
The rod pod didnt do much for
me
but made the cockpit feel
smaller and I only fly fish so
90% of my
kayak fishing is the trip from
point A to B. Tidal rivers,
Tidal flats
of New England, river mouths
of the Great Lakes, Adirondack
lakes
and rivers... for now. I felt
comfortable in the kayak right
away
even in 2-3 foot swells on
Lake Erie. I am going to add
side
stabilizers for safety if I
decide to fish in open water.
Plenty of
storage, dry ride I am 61 and
180 pounds. Side track
mounting
is a great addition and makes
adding accessories easy. I
think I will
have a lot of fun in the
future. On delivery note from
ACK - the
kayak came packaged very well,
shipped fast without a
scratch.
Thank you.

Reviewer:

James

Rating:

4

Date:

7/21/2011

Review:

Love the kayak...the only
negative would be the camo
color is not really
camo...mostly green and has
odd splotches of color mixed
in...I am not dissatisfied
though....

Reviewer:

Shawn

Rating:

5

Date:

9/21/2010

Review:

Great kayak, I have a 12' Manta Ray as well but this one works great around the Chesapeake Bay where I live. i would recommend this kayak to everyone who lives near open water, had it 2 weeks ago in 2' swells and it handle great.

Reviewer:

ChefJeff

Rating:

5

Date:

7/15/2010

Review:

Awesome Yak. Even faster than my outback is with
paddles.

Reviewer:

Magilla Gorilla

Rating:

4

Date:

6/28/2010

Review:

Love the speed of this kayak. Stable and dry and comfortable. Delivery from ACK was quick and kayak was package and protected well.

Reviewer:

freedive

Rating:

5

Date:

6/13/2010

Review:

I bought this kayak to freedive and spearfish off of at least 3 miles off the beach in the Gulf. It delivers in every way. Stable, easy to paddle and control, well layed out, water tight. Not the lightest when it comes to loading, but with a little preplanning and patience, it can be racked and launched by one person. The rudder is a must for windy days and a swell. Both are usually going perpendicular to you. The seat has enough adjustments that make it a custom fit. Not a swift turner which you will find out when on a narrow winding river. Lash down gear with supplied tiedowns when storing ANYTHING below deck, or they will all end up in the stern. A kayak well worth the investment, from a dealer well worth the visit.

Reviewer:

Laura

Rating:

5

Date:

4/9/2009

Review:

I bought my new 2009 Tarpon in March. We took it on a trip to Lake Powell with an older Tarpon 160. I was very impressed with the new hull shape, and the amount of cargo room inside the hull. This boat just looks gorgeous on the water. The size of the tankwell has about doubled from the older version, and I love it. I am also impressed with the slide trax system. I bought the clips and extra bungee and rigged up a really versatile system over the tankwell. The phase 3 seat was really comfortable. I paddled for 5 hours without any complaint. In order to have the larger tankwell, WS moved the rear hatch in front of the seat. This makes it difficult to store things under the tankwell (although next time I will be tying rope on all my drybags for easier recovery). Overall I am extremely happy with my new yak. I got the mango coloring, and it is beautiful. I am also very happy with Austin, very fast and easy delivery.

Reviewer:

JH

Rating:

5

Date:

2/13/2009

Review:

Awesome boat!

Reviewer:

WG

Rating:

5

Date:

9/25/2006

Review:

Tested the Tarpon 160i during the demo day a few weeks ago. This kayak tracks better than any of the other Tarpon models (without the rudder). Also tried the Ocean Kayak prowler 13 and 15, and I still preferred the ride of the Tarpon 160i. I slapped the rudder in the water, and it paddled as straight as an arrow.